CHAPTER X. 



A LOST STAG. 



A.NNY and Donald were with other sportsmen on the next morn- 

 ing and I had for my stalker John Mclntyre, he of the black 

 brows and seeming incapacity to locate grouse. John was keen 

 enough on deer; there could be no mistake about that, but his mind 

 moved slowly; he was not a first-class stalker. For the greater part he 

 acted as a gillie, but this day it was necessary that he should be sent out 

 with me. 



With Donald, who had charge of the Warrior for the day, John 

 and I with the accompanying gillies went along the same trail of many 

 other days until we passed over the first high ridge and some of the 

 broken ground beyond. Then to the left not over three-quarters of a 

 mile from the trail there was discovered a band of thirty-five or 

 forty deer, among them a good sized stag. 



Donald instructed John to stop with me in a sheltered ravine while 

 he with the rest of the party moved on along the trail as if the deer had 

 not been seen. They showed a little uneasiness as we observed them 

 through our glasses, but did not take fright. After our companions 

 had disappeared, John and I began our stalk. It was not a difficult 

 one; there was a natural point of vantage from a hill in the im- 

 mediate front, where two large stones made a sort of landmark which 

 I had frequently noticed from the path. 



We made our way to these stones without detection and from 

 here I was able to perceive the stag now desired, lying facing me, 

 entirely surrounded by hinds and smaller stags. There was no pos- 

 sibility of a shot at him under the conditions. There was nothing 

 remaining for me but a wait. 



Though the sun shone brightly this morning for the moment, and 

 I was only wet, as one might say, on the lower edges, having per- 



